Tale of the Heart's Slave
by kirr1001
Summary: An ordinary girl who escaped her past.A hanyo who lost his family because of his own claws.What happens when Kagome takes broken Inuyasha in to her home as her slave? And what next, when there is someone else who is interested to use him? AU
1. Root River Town

_|| Tale Of The Heart's Slave ||_

Chapter One _Root River Town_

_"Inu... yasha..." she breathed softly, I barely heard her voice. I saw the blood in my claws, on the floor, on her dark purple kimono, in her hair, running from her mouth. I couldn't move, I couldn't even feel guilty._

_Before I even realized, her gaze was empty, the familiar light gone from them. She was dead._

X

I remember the day when I saw Inuyasha for the first time.

It was just a ordinary morning in the little town where I had lived three years. People had talked to me about traveling sellers who were meant to come that day to visit. That was a rumor. the carriages drove pass me when I was walking through the town towards my own house. Alltogether there was five of them, some full of pretty clothes, scarlet dresses for women and handsome ropes for men, others full of exotic (that was the word what fascinated middle aged women used) foods and drinks. And the last one... humans with handcuffs.

I hadn't even intent to go after the carriages but couple of women who I knew insisted me to come with them and find out where sellers would stop. Though we weren't the only ones; many others were interested of them and walked with us to the center of the town. The carriages stopped close to the river and erected their stalls. Almost everyone of them were men, foreigneir looking. I wasn't really interested about those fansy clothes and foods like others, I didn't need anything.

"Oh, look at those", whispered Mrs. Dayton near me as the one of the drivers opened the carriages door and pulled the chain. From the carriage stepped out a young boy with dark hair and dirty face. After him a woman, her face old and tired. And the other one after her. And one more. And one more. The chains around their necks, cuffs around their wrists and ankles.

"What is this?" I gasped softly at their miserable faces. We were quite close, more people were staring at them behind us.

"I don't know", Mrs. Collins frowned.

"Slaves of course", her husband answered, coming beside us. "I've heard they are really popular in other towns."

"But... that's awful", I said, looking how uneasy their walking was as they followed the man who pulled the chain. They were wearing only simple gray ropes and pants and their feet were bare. I didn't even want to watch but I also couldn't turn my gaze away. "Look at them."

"That's today, Kagome-san", Mr. Collins shrugged like we were talking that sky was blue. "I don't know, maybe I could have some use for those."

"Ronald!"

"What? Think about it, honey. They could clean the house, do the laundry, even watch over the children."

"Maybe but I won't let someone that dirty to get near my boys."

"We would wash him of course."

I couldn't even believe that they were considering it.

"Hello, Root River Town's people!" yelled suddenly a voice. We all turned our heads towards a man who had a black bear and little eyes. He was standing on the stool, his hands up. "My name is Rico Wilson and we are very happy that you have allowed us to visit in your little town and that you are already interested about our products. We have traveled in many big towns but now we have decided to bring the reform to small ones too like yours. You charming people deserve charming clothes not those old rags!"

I looked at my dress. It was simple, green, front covered with white apron. I liked it that way. But when I looked at others faces as they saw their clothes, I suspected that they didn't agreed with me.

"You deserve to be helped and served and that's why we have our slaves with us", Rico continued and pointed at the slaves. "They may look wild and unruly but belive me, if you know how to punish, you are perfect master for them."

The last slave stepped outside, then carriage's door closed. There was something different about him and we all noticed it; his hair was silver and long, hair that I had ever seen. He was wearing gray clothes too but he looked even more unhealtier than others. His head hanged down and on top of his head was two ears. Two animal ears.

_A hanyo._

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

I got an inspiration for this when I watched Tales from Earthsea, not one of the best anime movies but quite good anyway. The old time when people just lived in their wooden huts, carried swords, rode with horses and sat on the green meadow... it has interested me for a while now. I hope you like this little start of the story. Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**


	2. Golden Coins For Hanyou

_|| Tale Of The Heart's Slave ||_

Chapter Two _Golden Coins For Hanyo_

My mother had told many tales about them so I was able to recognize him. Looking like a demon but with animal ears. Actually in this case, dog ears. Hanyous, in the other words half demons were very rare creatures which existed only in my homeland, on the other side of the Great Sea. In their veins boiled both human and demon's blood.

The thrill of seeing hanyou for the first time faded as I looked at his ears more closely. They were bloody. He walked slowly beside the other slaves and stood there like a man who waited for his doom.

The whispers were soon heard, horrified and confused questions about this silver-haired slave.

"What on earth is that?", "Look at his ears!", "It's even more disgusting than others!", I heard them spat. Rico Wilson spoke again.

"Dear people, calm down", he smiled but something about that smile gave me creeps. "This creature is completely under my control so fear not. This is a monster from far away and I have tamed it a long time ago. Just watch."

He then stepped off of the stool and walked to the hanyo whose face was still hidden as he hung his head. Rico held out his hand and like out of nowhere a large man hurried beside him and gave him a whip. My eyes widened from terror and I couldn't let out a word before Rico raised the whip and hit.

The other slaves flinched more violently than the hanyo himself and there was no sound or voice except the whip's slam. Maybe there was few gasps coming form behind me but the hanyo didn't let out even that. He just stood there like the pain was nothing, like he had already experienced it enough for not to cry anymore. The expression on Rico Wilson's face was sick; victorious.

And I too just stood there. The vegetable basket had dropped on the ground as my hands had flew to cover my mouth, the tears of shock forming into my brown eyes. Who were these people? They had come here middle of our morning, brought poor, suffering humans as slaves and now we were watching as their boss was torturing a man in a bright sunlight for no reason. And no one did nothing to stop it.

When he whipped the third time, my mind woke up, "STOP!"

I could even hear the necks moving when they turned to look at me. Rico Wilson's eye brows twisted together, frowning forcefully. The whip was on the air, ready for the next hit. The hanyou didn't react.

"How dare you? !" I spat through my clenched teeth and walked between him and hanyo. "How can you be so cruel?"

"Cruel?" he asked, looking at others around us, glancing at his men meaningfully. "I guess you don't understand this monster's dangerousness, girl. I'm just teaching to you how you have to treat these things."

"You're the monster. Hanyous are humans too!" I shouted, then turned to hanyou. His arms were full of scratches and little wounds which looked painful. I carefully touched his shoulder, talking to his face which was covered in his hair. "Are you okay?"

"Hanyous?" I heard Rico Wilsson say. "Oooh. So you're from the other side of the Great Sea."

I glared at him as gazed at me, smirking, "Interesting area, interesting creatures. I could find some work for you here too."

"You make me sick."

"Ms. Kagome!" I heard a voice from the group. I looked around and saw the shocked expressions of the people, God there was children even too but I couldn't really see who was talking to me. But I knew almost everyone in the village anyway. "Maybe you should let them do their work. They know how to deal with their slaves."

"I think they're right, girl", Rico Wilson smiled but I could see the annoyance. "Leave the hanyou and slaves for us."

I let my hateful gaze speak for words.

"Very well", he snorted and turned to men. "Drive this chick away, please."

Men who where almost three heads taller than me were suddenly standing in front of me and grabbed me by my arms. I heard many from the group yell and swore, "Don't touch our Ms. Kagome!", "Don't hurt her, please!" but no one really didn't dare to took step towards me and help.

Men dragged me away from the Rico Wilson and I saw him smirk more widely then turn back to hanyo and kicked his back, forcing him on the ground. I winced and tried to struggle off their grasps, mother's words ringing in my head.

_Remember always help the one who is down, Kagome._

Their hands stayed on me, they lifted me, took me far behind the happening and the human group then dropped me on the ground. I glared, they only grunted something and walked back to their boss. Mrs. Berry and Ms. Scott ran towards me, both middle aged women and a bit plumbs.

"Oh Ms. Kagome, are you all right?" Mrs. Berry knelt beside me and touched my cheek. I nodded.

"What a rude men!" Ms. Scott huffed as they both helped me up. "First they act politely and talk nice things, bring beautiful clothes then treat you, honorable woman, this way!"

"How they treated me? How about those humans there? That man he tortured?"

They looked each others. "Ms. Kagome, we appreciate your kindness but those were slaves like Mr. Wilson said. And that... thing didn't really look like human. Did you notice his ears?"

"He is part of human", I explained. "Hanyou is human and demon's child."

"Hanyou?" asked Ms. Scott confused.

"Means half demon."

"How do you know about this?" Mrs. Berry crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hanyous live only there where I have come from too. On the other side of the Great Sea."

"You mean you have seen them before?" their eyes widened.

"No, but heard much. They are near of extinction."

"Thank God", I heard Mrs. Berry whisper. She spoke more louder when she saw my frown. "Oh, don't look at me that way Ms. Kagome. Are you saying that it is not scaring you, even a bit? I couldn't even stand a person who would be part of demon."

"That's excatly the reason why they are disappearing from the world", I murmured but they had already turned their heads back towards the happening further. Demons and half demons weren't so unknown in my homeland. There they were part of everyone's life.

"I really need that new dress", Ms. Scott sighed. Mrs. Berry nodded, biting her lip. "Ms. Kagome, will you be all right if we leave you here? I mean-"

"It's fine", I said. I guess they didn't hear the chill in my tone because they grinned happily at my answer, waved their goodbyes and see you soons and went to buy their dresses. Me? I couldn't even think about going near of those mad people again.

I sighed at my lost vegetables and trailed towards my home.

* * *

><p>It was a night already. The fuss of traveling sellers had calmed down and many families had retreated to their huts.<p>

I sat at my little table, pondering the events of the day. All day had been spent by cleaning and doing the dishes, washing laundry, taking care of my few goats and chickens. I hadn't had time to think about it but now he didn't leave my mind alone. That hanyou.

His fragile, beaten form had come immediately to my head when my chores had been done. The most disturbing thing was that I hadn't even seen his face.

After all those stories which I had heard since I had learned to walk, I had to, I just had to see him again.

Cursing and cursing myself crazy, I sneaked carefully to outside. I walked through the small meadow into the town. Lights were on only in few huts as I walked along the street. Soon I came to the centre where stalls and carriages stood. They laughed loudly, yelled, few sitting outside on chairs, few inside the carriages. I walked slowly closer, trying to see where the slaves were kept. The whole area smelled like alcohol and smoke. I tried not to get any attention, trying to just find the hanyou but then I heard a drunken yell; "Hey! Look what we have here!"

I turned to left and saw a bit thin man near me, holding a green bottle, his eyes wide from drunkenness. His cloak was dirty from mud, he had probably fell down few times. I heard the laughter die down from the others who sat on their chairs and I felt them stare at me.

"We have a lady here!" the man hiccuped.

"Apparently", considerably bigger man stood up, his expression dark. As I recognised him, he seemed to recognise me. "What are you doing here? Do we have to drag you away again?"

"No", I said as loudly as I could, executing my idea. "I want to speak with Mr. Wilson."

The men fell silent, someone let out a long whistle.

"Miss, Mr. Wilson is not a person who you can with speak just like that."

"Yeah, stay here with us. We could have fun", said the drunken man sultry and I felt his hand around my shoulders.

"L-let go!" I cried as his breath blew against my ear.

"What's happening here?" the voice said and one carriage's door opened. Rico Wilson stood there, in black clothes which were probably for the night. "Didn't I tell you three minutes ago to shut up? ! Useless idiots!"

"It's not our fault, boss. This girl came in here and insisted to meet you", they started to explain all at the same time.

"Shut up! What damn girl?"

"Thiz", the man who held me pushed me forward and I stumbled in front of Rico Wilson. His angry face changed immediately, his mouth fell open then closed and his eyes turned sly.

"You here", he smirked. "Did you change your mind about my offer?"

"No", I rubbed my arms, the chill getting through my thin dress. "I..."

"Yes?"

I gulped. I knew I was crazy but I just wanted to do what felt right. I couldn't leave him here. "I want to buy a slave."

Rico Wilson merely raised his eye brows, "A slave? You didn't seem very interested last time we see."

"I changed my mind about that."

He stroked his black bear, acting like he was thinking hard but I saw that he was only playing with me, "Slaves aren't cheap."

"I know", I said and pulled out a pouch from my apron's pocket, shaking it. It gave a pleasant chink sound. I saw his eyes twinkle and he made a sound with his tongue.

"I understand. Come with me, I'll show you the slaves", he offered me his hand but I didn't take it, only walked to his side. He turned to his men. "And you, try to do someting useful."

All hustle and bustle started over again as Rico Wilson leaded me pass the carriages to the area were was no lights. There stood the smallest carriage, dead quiet. We walked to it and he took a bundle of keys out of his pocket and opened the door. Heads turned and looked at me. They were crammed close each others, looking like that the heads were the only parts of their bodies they could move. It was so dark that I couldn't even see their figures, only light was their eyes which were bright with desperation and fear. They started to shake as they saw us, trying to shy away but it was no use in such a small space.

"I hope you understand that if you hesitant even a second as their master, they can run away or actually kill you", Rico murmured like the slaves hadn't been there. "You can't be soft with them."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Fine. Choose who ever you want."

I stepped closer, almost in the carriage, eyeing them. I just hoped they weren't too hurt and my eyes turned sad.

_Sorry. You're not the one I'm looking for. I'm sorry._

"I don't want them", I said quietly. I wasn't sure was there relief or helplessness in their eyes when they heard my words. "Where is he?"

"Who?" he asked, tilting his head like a innocent child.

"The hanyou."

Rico Wilsson looked at me for a moment, amused and chuckled, pushing me away as he slammed the door shut. Then he was laughing, "You can't possibly think that I'll sell that thing to you."

"I want to see him."

"It belongs to me! I'm not going to-"

The fact that he used the word 'thing' all the time, angered me even more. I opened my pouch quickly and he cut himself as he saw me empty the half of it on my hand. At least ten golden coins. There was that twinkle again. Greed.

"Gold is not a milk what you can get from goats, girl. How come you have it so much like a king?" he narrowed his eyes, almost drooling at my hand.

"Can I see him now?" I asked, ignoring his question. He stood there, his eyes holding mine then made a move with his head, asking me to follow him. The grass rustled beneath our feet, as we walked to his carriage. The others didn't even notice us from their drinking and I guess he was too tired to yell at them anymore as he opened the door and I stepped in his 'home'.

The carriage from inside wasn't all that brown and simple. Its floor was paved with crimson mat, table and chairs also colorful, there was paints on the wall. Many furniture made the small room look bigger than it really was. Next to his bed was a closet, its door's were made of glass so I could see the content; knives, whips, bottles which were full of something weird green liquid and nails. Next to the closet was the hanyou.

My eyes widened. He didn't look the same when I saw him the first time, he looked worse. His bare, muscular chest was bloody from the scars which looked still fresh, there was nails in his feet. He was wearing a small, dirty clothing which covered only his crotch. He was sitting in the corner, looking as small as possible.

"What have you done-" I made a move to walk forward, help him but suddenly Rico Wilson's arm wrapped around my neck, his left hand held my wrists behind my back.

His lips burshed against my ear, sending shivers of disgust down my spine, "Kagome, was it? Why do you want him? Though maybe I understand, you live here, spend normal, boring live. I can see what you want, risks and thrill."

He chuckled as I tried to struggle, "I like you. You're not as dumb as the others. I guess it's because you're not from here. Won't you join me? There would be no boring moments, you would have fun with me."

His grip was not weak. I felt sick as he inhaled the scent of my neck. But then my eyes noticed the hanyo who probably had noticed us too. The only thing I could see of his face was now one yellow orb through his long hair. It stared right at me and something happened then. I couldn't read the gaze he was giving me but there was something what made my heart beat faster and the want of taking him away from here only grew inside me. I had to save this beautiful man.

Finally I struggled out of Rico Wilsson's grasp and walked to him. He didn't try to escape, that was one many things what made him different from the other slaves. He just stared when I knelt beside him.

"If it rips your throat open, don't come cry to me", all slyness was gone from Rico Wilson's voice leaving a bitter tasted spat. I ignored him and slowly reached out, touching hanyo's injured chest. Something in his eyes changed and he looked down so that our staring competition was over. Somehow I couldn't be afraid of him and his claws which lay useless beside him on the floor. He didn't do anything as I moved my hand from his chest to his shoulder, feeling the muscles underneath his skin.

"I'll take him", I said softly, trying not to sound too threatening to hanyou. "How much you want?"

"This isn't about money", I turned around just to see his creepy eyes close to mine before he pinned me against the wall and pressed his nose against my throat. I gasped as his mouth nippled my throat.

"Let go!" I pushed his shoulders and squeezed my eyes shut but he stood against me like a mountain. His hands trailed down my waist to my hips.

"How much are you ready to pay, Kagome?" he breathed against my cheek. I opened my eyes and remembered the hanyou. My eyes trailed down. He was still sitting in the floor not looking at us who were just beside him but he obviously could hear everything with those ears which twisted on top of his head. I refused to just let Rico Wilson ravish my body when all he wanted to do was just toy with me and dominate because I annyoed him, acting like the hanyou wasn't there. I wanted his dirty hands off me.

"I said let go!" I shouted and slapped his cheek. His attention to my neck broke and dead fast he was backing away from me, eyes full of wrath.

"I asked", I hissed through my teeth. "How much you want?"

He walked to me, fuming and quikcly took the pouch out of my apron. "This will be enough. Now go and don't you dare come back. Go to hell and rotten there, both of you, filthy bitches!"

The next thing I knew was that he grabbed me by shoulders and pushed out off the carriage to the hard ground. Hanyou flew beside me too in the cold night. Rico Wilson stood at the door frame and spat loudly on the ground in front of us. I must have really hurt his pride. The door was slammed shut and I sighed, gazing at the hanyo who just hung his head sadly.

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**


	3. Memories

_| | Tale of the Heart's Slave | |_

Chapter Three _Memories_

It was like I would have woken up from a trance when I felt the grass under my feet. I had forgotten besides many other things how soft it felt compared to rough wooden floor which was full of pieces of glass. The darkness told me that it was night as I was pulled forward. The hand on my skin felt softer than Rico's though the grasp was tight. I was too tired to open my eyes but the scent assured me that the human walking beside me was the same weird girl who had come to Rico's carriage middle of the night. I guess she was talking to me but I wasn't listening. I could only focus on breathing the fresh air which felt like a small piece of heaven.

I wasn't sure how long we walked before she stopped me and I heard a sound which sounded like a door's opening. I felt a floor under my feet and next my shoulders were pushed down. It made my knees shake before they gave up under me and I was sitting on the floor. I heard some rattle near me which made me finally open my eyes. My hair was mostly in the way but with my right eye I saw how she set a fire on a small fireplace. It didn't give warmth yet but I could see her face again, clearly as she looked at me.

"Wait a minute", she told me and I quickly moved my eyes elsewhere, realizing that it wasn't wise to look at her. But she stood up right after saying those words and I carefully moved my right eye, looking around the place which I guessed was her hut.

She came back soon and I flinched when something soft fell around my shoulders. It was a blanket. I settled to watch the fire in front of me and I heard how she said, "I'm sorry... I have to- This might hurt, I'm sorry."

I couldn't make sense from her words and I barely reacted to the pain which I suddenly felt on my legs. It was dull since I had felt much worse pain before but I felt it and I wondered what object she was using to hurt me. Though I didn't even care, I still chose to glance at her hands.

First I thought that I was seeing things but after she had gotten all the nails from my legs, I had to believe it; she wasn't hurting me but helping. _No, that has to be_ _wrong... Why would she help me? _I asked from myself. I moved my eyes back to her face and I saw that again she was talking but it was so hard for me to understand her words. Just then I realized how much my head really hurt. _That must be because Rico hit me in the head with a block. Annoying bast-_

Then I threw up. I was a hanyou and hanyou's didn't throw up often since they didn't even get sick easily but even we had the point when it was too much. As I emptied my stomach on her floor, I figured out that this was mine. Not that my stomach had much of anything inside anyway.

After that I was just about to collapse on the floor, not really caring if I'd get dirty but she grabbed my shoulders and held me up. "Let me help you. Can you stand?" she asked and slid her hand under my arms. Then we were walking again but not long until my rear hit a soft matter. I assumed that it was a bed which made me even more confused - I had waited for some kind of punishment from throwing up.

"You can lie here", she said. When I didn't move she pushed me on my back by herself. A pillow under my head was something I had though I'd never feel again but I forced my eyes to stay open and think about any possible reason for that why was she being _nice_ to me. Because there had to be a reason, no one could have been nice for a hanyou. And she was a woman. I had learned a long time ago that women were no better than men, no matter how pretty they were. Women knew how to trick, make one believe that they were worth of trust but then they would kick and spit on the face when you least waited for it.

Though I fought against it, the bed made my eye lids grow heavy and I couldn't keep them open longer. _They're all the same_, I thought absently. _Every bitch, this one too, is like Kikyou._

X

As I came back with a small bucket of water, I found him asleep, breathing heavily. I smiled sadly as I set the bucket beside the bed and wet a rag with it.

"I'm so sorry for all you have been through", I whispered and run the rag over his body, cleaning the small cuts and wounds. That didn't bother his sleep at all, he didn't even budge. That alone told me how dead tired he was. Maybe that was why he hadn't reacted on almost anything I had said or done to him.

After I had cleaned his wounds, I pulled the cover over him and left him sleep in peace. I poured another bucket of water on my floor in front of the fireplace and rubbed the rag against it to wash away the vomit. All of that wasn't really disgusting, it only made me feel more sorry for him. When the floor was clean, I took two accessory blanket from my bed and laid them near the fireplace. I didn't mind sleeping on the hard floor as I watched how the flames danced around each other.

_Would you be proud of me now, mama?_ I thought but quickly regret thinking of her as I felt a tear on my cheek. I let out a deep sigh and wiped it away. _I think you_ _would, I think all of you would be,_ I wanted to believe that. Then I closed my eyes and kept my ears open for an answers like always when I thought about my family. But there was none and so I slowly fell asleep.

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

Phew, that's all I'm gonna say. I won't edit a chapter, EVER again!

Thanks for reading, feel free to tell me what do you think about this edited version.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha


	4. Eyes Meeting

_| | Tale Of The Heart's Slave | |_

Chapter Four _Eyes Meeting_

I raised my head as I heard the door's opening. My bedroom door's.

His hair was a big mess, wisps there and there pointing at different directions. His face was pale and the area under his eyes was black. He looked around like he was lost but then our gazes met. I knew that he had nothing more to wear but that small cloth but I couldn't help it; I felt my face grew warm when I noticed his bare chest and legs. I had never even kissed a man and now there was a nearly naked one in my house.

He broke our stare and looked away but I didn't know why. It was impossible to read him when his every gesture looked so... empty.

"Good morning", I tried to be polite. "Sorry, I don't have any... men's clothes for you but you can have one of my cloaks if you want. Or actually, you can take this."

I walked to chest where I kept my clothes and took the only thing I had brought with me from home.

"This is my grandpa's hakama", I said and offered the black pants to him. "But you can wear it."

He still didn't look at me but my floor and I started to get tired of waiting him to answer as I stood in front of him with the pants in my hand.

"Hey", I tried again. "Why wouldn't you tell me your name? My name is Kagome."

No answer, not even a look.

"Hey", this time I touched his shoulder and he flinched, quickly backing away. "Okay, I understand! You're scared but I'm not going to hurt you. I know you won't believe me but please don't run away."

He looked so small as he pressed his back against hut's wall and slid on the floor. I licked my lips, nervous and not knowing what to do next.

He was probably really hungry. I placed the pants on the chest and walked to my small table where already was my just made porridge. I took the bowl and slowly walked back to him. He didn't move to stop me or to back away but everything in him told about rejection.

"Take this. It's not much but it's food", I showed the bowl to him but he didn't look at it. Something came up to my mind. "Do you understand what I'm saying? Do you understand English? Or... Japanese?"

I saw how the ears on top of his head moved slightly.

_"Do you want me to speak Japanese?" _I said in my homeland's language.

There was the smallest shook of his head.

"So you understand English?"

A nod.

"Then eat this, please", I begged but he chose again to be quiet. I sighed loudly and grabbed his chin, making him look at me. There was no light in his yellow eyes, nothing. But I heard him growl silently. I didn't let go and with my other hand I took the spoon which was full of porridge. "Open up."

He just stared my eyes.

"Open up", I said again, little more gently this time. I saw him close his eyes and breathe through his nose. He opened his mouth just slightly. I carefully put the spoon inside his mouth and waited for him to take everything what was in it. I saw him slowly taste it when I let go of him and placed the bowl in his lap. Then I stood up and walked to chair and sat down by the table, taking my own portion.

I ate silently and I didn't dare to look if he ate too. If he did, he did it very very imperceptibly. But soon I heard when he moved and there was some rustling voice. Then I heard him walk back to my room and close the door.

Just then I looked around and I saw that he had taken my grandpa's hakama. And when I quietly walked to the bowl, I saw that it was empty.

X

I couldn't play deaf anymore, I was tired of it. The food whatever rubbish it was, burned inside my stomach. When had been the last time since I have ate something?

But when I had tasted the food in my mouth, just simply my nature had taken control. I had eaten the whole thing, maybe it was a miracle that I hadn't devoured the bowl with it too.

Her eyes stared at me still when I put the pants on. There was much staring eyes inside my memory and now hers would stare at me too. Brown eyes- or no. Kikyo's eyes had been brown, her's were... like that sweet candy which I had eaten when I had been a kid...

...Chocolate. Like the taste of it, her eyes made me remember the warm times, happy times when I thought that it mattered that I was alive.

She had spoken Japanese just like my mother had many many ears ago. Her voice had sounded just as beautiful as hers.

Why did she have to make me feel these feelings again when all I wanted was to be dead? Why did she have to remind me of the past? What did she want from me?

Maybe she had just bought me because I was a cheap half-breed.

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

New chapter :) Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**


	5. New

_| | Tale Of The Heart's Slave | |_

Chapter Five _New_

Her soft, gentle voice spoke to me, slowly and carefully, telling that she was going to wash herself outside. I kept my gaze down on her wooden floor. Part of me wanted to shut her up. Part of me, which wanted to remember life, the good and kind things in it, wanted her to continue.

I heard her steps walk out of the room and finally raised my head. Soon, thanks to my freak ears I could tell that she wasn't in the hut anymore. I felt myself relax a little and I let out a low sigh.

Why? I hated when I was moved around, from one owner to another because I always had to learn the new things about my new torturer. It always cost me few extra hits or kicks. And this _onna_ was the strangest from everyone. She hadn't done anything to me yet but treated me like... a human. Though I was sure she understood I was nothing like human.

As I sat there, I felt a weird urge. Until this day, thinking had always been enough for me, I had learnt doing, walking or eating without permission weren't my privileges anymore. But now I felt like I could stand up and walk around, examine the hut.

Maybe it was because of the food.

I left the bed behind me, moving forward with my legs which ached slightly but because I was hanyouI could deal with the pain easily. I walked out of her bedroom and let my eyes move. There wasn't much of things to examine in her hut; table, few chairs, fireplace, chest. I could see that she didn't have much of money. On the table was a quite long piece paper which was filled with her handwriting:

_Apples 3_

_Seeds 5_

_Shirt for him_

I frowned and in passing touched the hakama on me. Was it a shopping list? Did "him" mean me?

Shaking my head I looked at the door which I hadn't noticed, the one in the corner. I supposed it led to her garden so I walked to it. Behind it, I saw a great area of green grass. The wind on my face was a whole new feeling. I could feel how freedom slowly crept to my heart but I pushed it away instantly.

_"You can never start to hope again" _I let out the japanese words from my lips. I felt how they were left hanging in the air around me. But then there was something else in the air too.

"You gave it to me... your fragile heart, all of it..."

My ears flicked at the singing voice. I immediately recognized it to that woman's voice who had bought me. It wasn't far.

"Close to it, I want to be... Not a boy but more like a man, your strenght tells that to me..."

Without even noticing it, my legs carried me close to the trees which were full of apples though the fruits looked... rotten. I could hear her voice behind the few trees so the completely freak side of me made me slowly touch one of the trees and look at what she was doing. Though I knew already what and that I shouldn't.

Her eyes were closed as the water fell from the bucket which she had hung up on the tree's branch. Its bottom was full of small holes where the water fell down to her body. My eyes traveled down from her face to pale chest and firm stomach. It looked almost skinny but her tighs told me that there maybe was some power in her legs.

"Your eyes reveal a secret truth, I want it all..." she continued singing, humming with the lyrics. Her black hair shined in the sunlight. "Let's find out your mysteries..."

It was a new feeling to watch her middle of the nature and water, familiar to some of my memories but yet different.

I had seen my mother naked... and Kikyo, when I had been young and stupid. She looked much of like Kikyo and made me want to see her again, though of course I hated her, I fucking hated her still. But now I could clearly see how far from same they truly were. When I had watched Kikyo like I was watching this woman now, I had felt butterflies in my stomach which wasn't good feeling but not bad one either. My heart had beated like crazy and I had been blind to everything but her. That was why she caught me staring at the first place but of course she wasn't mad. It had all been part of her plan.

When I looked at this woman, Kagome, I could simply just wonder. She looked like an angel who had fallen from the heaven but at the same time the most vulnerable creature in the world. She was younger than Kikyo and her body hadn't got the full shapes that Kikyo had but that just made her look all more innocent and untouched. Though she was thin, maybe because of the lack of food, she looked so soft that my fingers trembled to touch her.

"Because I want you, I want you, I want only you... The only one my soul must be true..."

I knew I was sick. Everybody had made that clear to me as long as I could remember. I was looking at her secretly just like I had done to Kikyo. But I had to be sure; I wanted to know would I feel the same way like I had felt with Kikyo, the same passion and dependence. Then I could be sure that I was yet again falling to cruel bitch's trap.

But I didn't. I felt whole new things when I watched her. And that was a problem. It meant that bit by bit I might start to believe her words and kindness.

_You can never start to trust again._

I squeezed my eyes shut, clenched my hands to fist, claws sinking to my palms. I had to get away.

As I walked back to house I could still hear her, "Because I want you, I want you, I want only you, because... You are something new."

She was still mystery to me. Question was, was she bad or harmless one.

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

My computer was fixed much more quickly than I expected; after the school I just opened it and did few magic things and tada, it was working again! :D So here's a new chapter for you, our slightly pervert Inuyasha. He's talking about his past to us with very secretive words... Only time and chapters reveal us what really happened to him.

This chapter was bornt with these songs; Split Personality/P!nk, 9 Crimes/Damien Rice, Soulmate/Natasha Bedingfield, Everytime/Britney Spears, E.T./Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

And while watching this show; Prison Break

Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**


	6. Shout For It

_| | Tale Of The Heart's Slave | |_

Chapter Six _Shout For It_

To my luck the weather wasn't chilly at all so I was able to dry myself quickly outside as the sun warmed me. I loved to wash myself. When I was a little there had been a white bathtub and me and my mother had contended about it every day. Now I had to be satisfied with a shower because bathtubs weren't sold anywhere, especially not in our small town and you didn't buy them with just few golden coins. Unlike how I had got the hanyou. It was horrible to think that living human could cost less than a tub.

When I returned back inside with a rough towel around me, he was sitting in the corner and didn't look at me though I see his ears move which told me that he had heard me coming. I would have probably blushed if he had looked at me, which was ridiculous, but his reserved position, which looked like he was trying to hid his existence because he thought he didn't deserve it, bothered me so much that I couldn't keep my mouth shut, "You don't have to sit there on the floor. There is still a bit of porridge left, you can eat it in peace at the table."

He didn't move though I saw from his shoulders how his body tensed. Naked chest revealed me his slightly starved torso, in fact I was surprised that it didn't look worse. Where were the last night's scars? I didn't ask him anymore because my presence still seemed to bother him so I told that I was going to get dressed and left him alone. I couldn't blame him for not trusting me. I bought him last night, he probably expected me to treat him as a slave or simply as a toy. I decided to make few things clear to him as soon as I would be dressed.

I had a one small mirror in my bedroom's wall which was rusty but enough for me to take care that my hair wasn't too much a mess. I didn't care a much about my appearance, I didn't have a wealth to care. Some of women in our town bought red colour for their lips and small bottles which included good smelling odours.

I put on a simple light dress and tied my hair up as they were too curly after the shower. After I had looked myself enough from mirror, I tied a white apron around my waist and walked back to other room. Then I saw him there, sitting on a chair at last and gobbling the porridge into his mouth. However, when he saw me he stopped immediately and slowly placed the spoon back into the bowl, looking at the floor again. I sighed, then smiled as I sat down at the table opposite him.

"You might have learned that you can't look at the other person in the eyes", I started, tilting my head and tried to look as harmless as possible. "But that is not one of the rules in my hut."

Still nothing. Stubborn.

"Listen. I didn't buy you so I could... use you. I wanted to save you", when I said that he moved and watched me carefully from the corner of his eye. "Or help you. But anyway to get you away from those cruel people. You are hanyou which means that you come from the other side of the Great Sea, from the place I came from too. I know that hanyous have a bad reputation and I know too that there's nothing wrong with you. No one deserves to be treated like you did."

He moved his yellow eyes from left to right like he was trying to understand my words. He had assured that he understood English so that meant that he didn't quite believe me.

"You can leave if you want. I do not own you, the only one who owns you is you", I smiled as his head jerked up, surprised. "But if you have no place to go, you can stay here. At least for now.

I touched the bowl where the porridge was and pushed it closer to him. "Would you tell me your name?

It was a simple question but it seemed hard for him. Answering to it obviously hadn't led him to anything good in the past. To me the answer meant that could he start to trust me and stay, or would he run away and I would have to leave him on his own with his cruel destiny.

He snatched the spoon and pulled the bowl into his hands. He looked at me quickly and then at the bowl. His voice was hoarse and quiet, "Inuyasha."

"What?" I blinked and leaned closer...

"INUYASHA!" he shouted hard and so suddenly that my ears rang. He started to gobble the porridge quickly as if pretending that he hadn't said anything special. When I had gained back my balance on the chair, a feeling of relief captured me and I saw the tepid pink on his cheek bones. It was a small step but towards the better.

"Alright, Inuyasha", I said and as I watched his eating I decided to do my best to make him yell like that for his life and for honor too.

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

New chappie (nice nickname). I hope you like it though nothing too interesting really happened in it. I'm taking small steps, like them :) Or would you like to have longer chapters?

Written while watching these shows: White Oleander (awesome movie btw), The Hangover

Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**


	7. Found Kindness

_| | Tale of the Heart's Slave | |_

Chapter Seven _Found Kindness_

The weather was bright outside so I decided to bring him to the meadow behind my hut. He followed me quietly as I showed him my outside shower and suggested that he could use it when he wanted. I told him how the trees near my hut were rundown and that was why all the fruits which grew from them were rotten. Then I showed him my small vegetable garden. It was my rescue when I needed money, especially now when I had lost most of my golden coins though those were money to me only when I was in a deep trouble. Besides that they were a dear memory from my past. I got enough money from selling my own raised potatoes, carrots and corns. The meadow's trees were unhealthy but its earth was worth of gold.

We stopped in the middle of green and I saw him watch forward at the forest and hills which were much further away. I glanced at his chest and a question which had bothered me before came out from my mouth, "How come your wounds which you had last night have disappeared?"

He turned to look at me, like I had asked something strange but then lowered his gaze on the ground, again. I wondered when he would be used to idea to look at other people as equal. "I'm a _hanyou_", he answered with his gruff voice. "Wounds... h-heal quickly."

_Not all of them_, I added silently. Wounds on his body would heal but the ones inside his soul were deeper. "Oh, I see. Well that's good", I tried to sound bright though I know that he still had long way to go so that he could get his life back. I would help him, with my everything. "To the point, I brought you here since I though a fresh air could cheer you up while I'll be in town. I have to go buy few things, a shirt for you for example", I smiled and eyed at his expression. "When you have decent clothes, I can take you with me when I have to go sell my vegetables. So for today you can stay here and rest. Or do anything you want", he gave me a quick glance and I repeated, "Anything you WANT to do, you don't have to do anything. You're my guest."

"Guest?" he asked softly.

I nodded, happy that he talked more with me. "I'm not gone for a long so see you soon!"

My thoughts were on Inuyasha during the whole trip to the town. I hoped he had taken my words seriously and wouldn't be crouching in the corner when I came back. Other thing I thought about was that he could easily leave while I was gone. Of course he could, I had told him that he didn't need to stay with me but I was worried about the world around him if he left. Unfortunately most people despised _hanyous_, it was a truth that I had never understood when my mother had told me about them. He would probably be in danger if he moved alone among people. And where could he find food? Would he hunt wild animals inside a forest and live there because of people's hatred? I knew that he wouldn't want to live with me the rest of his life but for now I thought the best option for him was to stay with me.

As I arrived to the town, it was obvious how almost every man and woman in there were looking at me because of the scene I had made yesterday. I chose not to care since I didn't have anything to be ashamed of. I walked in the center of the town and I was grateful to notice that there was none of the traveling sellers, there was only the every day booths standing which sold food, clothes and trinkets. I looked at my list and went to look at Mr. Flores booth which was full of fruits. He said hello to me like every time but there was certain awkwardness in it that told me that he was nervous about what others would think of him if he talked to me like always after my last day's behaviour. I acted like I didn't notice it and bought couple of apples.

When it came to find a shirt for Inuyasha, I met Ms. Scott at her own booth, on top of it written "Clothes".

"Hello, Ms. Kagome!" she said brightly but I could only give her a small smile since I still remembered how she had only worried about getting a dress from Rico and his men's carriage though they sold humans. That told me enough of what kind of person she was.

"Hello", I answered. "I am looking for a man's shirt."

"Wait a minute, man's shirt?" she repeated, grinning. "You don't look like a man to me. Why are in need for a man's shirt?" she giggled. "Oh, you can tell me. Is it a gift for Mr. Hojo?"

I had entirely forgotten the little game everyone liked to play around me - joke and gossip about Mr. Hojo whose parents too had been from the other of the Great Sea and, like few woman said, was very fond of me. Was it just a rumor or true, that I hadn't decided yet. "You could say that maybe", I answered since it was the easiest way. They would meet Inuyasha eventually.

"Sounds romantic. Well, today I have white and brown blouses", she pointed at the two piles of shirts on the table.

"A white one, please", I asked. White was fitting for my grandpa's black _hakama_.

She handed it to me. "Two silver coins, please", she said and thanked as I gave her the coins. There was enough money in my pouch to buy seeds for my garden and then I could return to home.  
>"I hope Hojo likes the shirt", Ms. Scott smiled. "And Ms. Kagome", she added and I turned to look at her. "I hope you are not too upset anymore, about yesterday. You should not worry too much about those slaves, concentrate on your own life and enjoy it."<p>

I knew she was trying to be friendly but I answered bluntly, "That is what you think, Ms. Scott. I, however, cannot be happy when I see that someone is tortured."

"I didn't mean I was happy either but-"

"Goodbye, Ms. Scott", I said quickly, leaving her words hang on the air. It made my face twist in anger when I heard people talk so casually about slaves.  
>It made me think of the day when had been my first school day. It had been easy for me to make friends, I could have almost said everyone adored me but then there was a moment when we were outside and I saw how everyone thought that kicking an abandoned cat on the stomach was a new, funny game. I had been so angry and asked why were they doing something as horrible as that, and they had only looked at me, at my red face, like I had just crept out of the earth and I had an antenna on my head. After that I had been "the weird Kagome" and I sometimes cried at my mother about that. <em>"You are too kind to live in this world"<em> she had said.

While I was paying for the seeds, it started to rain suddenly and I heard little girls yell how their dresses were going to get wet and how boys laughed. "Oh no", I sighed, knowing that I had to walk in the rain back to home.

The paper bag in my hands got wet and so the shirt, apples and seeds in it. The muddy earth made my shoes and the hem of my dress dirty as I walked and finally saw my hut. I walked inside and called for Inuyasha but he was nowhere to be seen. I set the paper bag on the table and went outside from the backdoor. I saw him there, in the meadow. He was sitting on the grass, soaking wet and I couldn't see his face because his bare back was at me. "Inuyasha!" I called out, walking towards him but he didn't react. "What are you doing, what if you catch col-"

By then I saw his face and it made me stop. His eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly open while the rain hit his face, making his bangs cling to his forehead. And I realized that it didn't matter if he would get cold, it was quite warm anyways, and it wasn't important that he was soaked because at that moment he looked like he was in bliss. He was alive.

Slowly I saw his eyes open and then he looked up to me, without lowering his gaze. His eyes were so absolutely yellow that I had to smile. I didn't say anything, I just sat down beside him, opened my hair tie and closed my eyes so that the rain could hit my face too.

X

When I had first met her or I mean smelled her, her scent, like her face, reminded me of Kikyou. That's why when I had first sensed her, I had thought Kikyou had come back to take me to Naraku. It had made my whole body rigid and I hadn't had enough strength to even look at her when she had went against Rico. But I remembered it now, I remembered how she had defended _me_, in front of all those people.  
>As she had found me sitting in the rain and let her hair fall down her back, I had sniffed the air and for the first time smelled only her. There was something same in her and Kikyou's scent but when the rain had washed away every redundant smell, I had known that her scent was hers alone.<p>

The shower of rain didn't last long after she had sat down on the grass with me and when it ended, she suggested that we should go back to her hut. Inside she started to ramble about her vegetables and how it was a relief that she didn't have to spent her time watering them since the nature did it for her. She emptied a paper bag which was on the table and I saw a wet white shirt on her hands. "I bought this for you", she explained, noticing what I was looking at. "Of course it's wet now but I hope you like it. When I'll get more money from my vegetables, I will buy you pants too since _hakama _is not very common cloth in here. I'll put it in the bedroom to dry."

As she walked in the other room, I glanced at the red apples on the table. She noticed that too when she came back. "I will split them into pieces, just wait for a minute", she smiled then she opened a small closet's door and to my surprised pulled a dagger out of it. Acting by instincts, I backed away and her eyes widened. "Oh no, Inuyasha! Don't be afraid, please!" she placed it on the table and held her hands up. "I just took it to split the apples but-but we can eat them like that too if you want! I just thought it would be fun to eat them as small pieces like I did when I was a child but- I mean, uh... !"

I had relaxed at the moment when she placed the dagger on the table but apparently she couldn't see it but kept stammering. She didn't seem to understand how easily I could hurt her myself now as she was holding her hands up and the dagger was free for me to take or I could easily harm her only with my claws. That all made it clear to me that she wasn't going to hurt me, she was just an odd, young woman.  
>"It's okay", I tried to say as loud as I could but I was still unsure with my voice and it felt weird to just talk with a human.<p>

"Eh?" she stopped her own talk. "Did you say something?"

"It's okay", I tried again and this time it went better. "You-you can split them."

It was confusing how her eyes could look so happy when I said those words, after all they were just words from a _hanyou._ "Alright!" she said, sitting down by the table and slowly took the dagger. She put the pieces in the middle of the table after she was done and brought one into her mouth. She let out a pleased sound. "This is good", she said, then looked at me. "Come on and have a taste, Inuyasha", when I heard her call me by my name yet again, I could only stare and she gave me a funny look. Then she grabbed a piece of apple and yelled, "Catch!"  
>The piece flew towards me and I stopped it with my one claw, the small fruit going through it smoothly. I eyed at my claw and glanced at her. She was blinking then she grinned, "You are fast."<p>

Her expression bornt something warm inside of me. She didn't look scared at all.

Quickly I snatched the piece of apple into my mouth and I tasted freshness, same freshness that I had felt earlier as a rain in my skin. "Good", I said to her.

After a while she was giggling like a crazy because somehow she found it fun that she threw a piece of apple and I caught it with my claws. The most bothering thing was that I kept doing it because she liked it.  
>As she was putting the seeds she had bought into a small plate, I gazed at the dagger. It looked shiny which revealed that she took good care of it and it didn't seem cheap or a junk which she had bought from a booth.<p>

"It was my father's", my ears moved at her sudden words and I saw her look at them but not with disgust like others. Or then it was something that I hoped. "When I was a child I always whined about how I wanted a dagger like his. Then... before his death he gave it to me and I have kept it with me ever since", she fell silent then but glanced at my ears again when she thought I didn't notice. "You know... I like your ears."  
>I flinched so suddenly that it made her flinch too and she quickly added, "I'm sorry! I know that you don't hear that often but I honestly do, I think they are adorable!"<p>

I raised my eye brow.

"In a very manly way", she said assured carefully as she saw my expression. Then a faint red came on her cheeks and she lowered her gaze, murmuring softly though I heard it clearly, "What am I talking about... ?"

Without realizing it I raised my hand on top of my head and touched my ear. I had hated them as long as I could remember and ever since Kikyou had lied to me that she liked them, I had hated them even more because I had let myself to believe that maybe they weren't worth of all the hatred. After all that I found it impossible to believe that this girl truthfully like them, actually it was impossible to believe anything that she had said and done. Because I had waited for years and years that world would show me kindness, that somewhere would be someone who could see me as a living person. But nothing ever happened and I lost my hope, my thoughts of something better. And now here she was, doing everything that turned my world upside down and it felt like I didn't know anymore was the sky above me or under my feet. It made my head fuzzy and I didn't know what to think.

"Why?" I asked softly and I didn't dare to look at her when I said those words. "Why do you do this... Why don't you just... walk away like others?"

"Because you deserve something better", I heard her answer back. Her voice sounded sure and determined. "You deserve to live like everyone else. And I can't walk away when I see that you don't believe it."

I could only close my eyes at her words and squeeze my hands into fists. I wanted to believe her but I couldn't because I didn't know how to believe anymore. She was turning my life towards something unknown so suddenly and so fast, and I had no idea what to do.

X

I watched him stand there, his head down. I felt suddenly so helpless that I had to swallow a small sob down my throat before slowly walking near him. I raised my hand, reaching and reaching a bit more until my fingertips brushed against his chin. My touch had not surprised him since he didn't flinch nor back away and with more courage I slid my fingers on his skin, tracing his chin. I kept my touch light, as a touch which was barely there so he would not feel himself threatened. "I know that you're confused and scared now", I said softly. "But I don't ask anything from you. You can just be and breathe."

He wasn't answering and I thought he would need some time alone. I smiled to myself and pulled my hand away. I was going to go outside and look my vegetables...

"Kagome."

... but his words stopped me.  
>I turned around and saw that this time his head wasn't lowered and he quickly glanced at my face before asking, "I... I could eat one more apple."<p>

I bit my bottom lip and smiled. "You can eat them all if you want."

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

I'm truly very sorry that it took so long for me to update. That's really all I can say. I hope you like the chapter, thanks for reading it. Comments are always welcomed! And btw, I have edited the chapter three, finally.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha


	8. Chapter 8 Preview

****I'll try to update soon.

**Chapter 8 Preview:**

* * *

><p>The rain quickly wet my clothes and I was glad I had not put my sandals or else I would have slipped on the wet grass. "Inuyasha!" I called out. I quickly made my way closer to the trees and yelled again, "Inuyasha! Where are you?!"<p>

Then a thought appeared. What if he had left for good? I had told him that it was his choice in the end whether to stay or leave. It was a possibility but it didn't seem right, not without saying goodbyes.

A flash of lightning woke me up from my musings and when I looked up it was too late for me to understand that it was just above me. I saw how it touched the same tree's top that was beside and a scream was about to run out of my throat. But then, literally faster than lightning, the same _hanyou _that I had looked for grabbed me and pulled me against himself. I could only close my eyes and feel how my stomach made a flip-flop as I heard the tree crackle.

After a moment I opened my eyes once again and I saw a chest show through a wet white shirt. I raised my head up so quickly that it could have injured my neck and stared at Inuyasha's face. He was pressing me against himself, his left arm around my shoulder. He noticed that I was looking at him, astonished, and let go of me, saying, "No danger anymore."

I frowned then looked behind me. The tree was black with ash and still slightly burning. Inuyasha had saved me.


End file.
